Is it legal for me to trap a wild animal?

The legality of some things can be really funny. You may read about laws and think how really stupid that they sound, but the fact of the matter is that at some point in time there was a good reason why that law is in effect.

For example, until recently there were a couple of laws that were still on the books in the United States that a person who was released from prison was given a horse and $100 gold piece when they headed out the door. That made great sense in the 1850s, but wasn’t the most ideal thing for a person leaving prison in 2016. This is why laws had to change.

There are some interesting laws related to capturing wild animals as well. What you will find is that in some states it may be illegal for you to capture certain wild animals, while there is no concern for capturing other kinds. Let’s look at some examples.

While most people would say that bats are some of the worst animals on the planet, there are several states that make the trapping or killing of a bat illegal. The reason behind this is that these animals are being hunted to near the point of extinction. Because of the vicious and aggressive nature of the creature, many have found over the years that it would be better to be rid of them. However, they have been hunted to such a level that the ecosystem is in danger because of it, causing some states to make these protected animals.

The same can be said of the raccoon as well. While it would seem ridiculous to protect raccoons, these animals were once hunted to near extinction as well. Because of their fur and the fact that some like to eating these animals, their populations dwindled greatly. Now many states, especially in the southeastern portion of the United States, protect these animals and make it illegal to hunt or capture them.

It is literally impossible in an article to tell you what all of the bans would be uncertain animals in every state. What you need to do before deciding to trap any kind of animal is consult a lawyer or your local animal control agency to see if it is permissible for you to be able to capture the beast.

Be aware as well that if you have set out a trap for some other kind of wild animal and one that is protected gets into your trap that you can still be liable under the law and penalized if you do not take action immediately. If, for example, you live in a state where raccoon trapping was illegal and one got captured in a trap you set out for a possum, then you need to get rid of that raccoon out of your trap as quickly as possible. You don’t want to find yourself in danger of being penalized simply because you are looking to capture some other kind of critter.
Read more: Florida Wildlife Control